Families, Families, Families!


Suzanne Lang - 2015
    No matter your size, shape, or pedigree--if you love each other, you are a family!Moms, dads, sisters, brothers — and even Great Aunt Sue — appear in dozens of combinations, demonstrating all kinds of nontraditional families! Silly animals are cleverly depicted in framed portraits, and offer a warm celebration of family love.

Night Job


Karen Hesse - 2018
    Brian Karas share the nighttime experience of a father and child.When the sun sets, Dad's job as a school custodian is just beginning. What is it like to work on a Friday night while the rest of the city is asleep? There's the smell of lilacs in the night air, the dusky highway in the moonlight, and glimpses of shy nighttime animals to make the dark magical. Shooting baskets in the half-lit gym, sweeping the stage with the game on the radio, and reading out loud to his father in the library all help the boy's time pass quickly. But what makes the night really special is being with Dad. Newbery Medalist Karen Hesse's quietly powerful story of a boy and his father is tenderly brought to life by G. Brian Karas in this luminous tribute to an enduring, everyday sort of love.

Templeton Gets His Wish


Greg Pizzoli - 2015
    So, he makes a wish on a magic diamond, and his family disappears!At first, Templeton is over the moon. He's free to lounge and play all day, and he never has to take a bath. But being alone might not always be as fun as he'd thought. Will another wish on the magic diamond get Templeton what he really wants?Greg Pizzoli, the Geisel Award-winning author/illustrator of The Watermelon Seed, uses his signature humor, vibrant graphics, and a touch of magic to bring this mischievous tabby to life.Praise for Number One Sam: "Pizzoli's zingy ice-pop colors and dramatically varied page compositions take home the blue ribbon." -New York Times* "[A] class act." -Kirkus Reviews, starred review * "[A]nother winner from Pizzoli."-Publishers Weekly, starred review * "'[A] popular choice at storytimes." -School Library Journal "Pizzoli's talent with color, easy-to-read words, and humor is something to behold . . . This one does it all." -Horn Book"Pizzoli's follow-up to the 2014 Geisel Award winning The Watermelon Seed . . . pull[s] off a far more emotional feat than you'd expect." -Booklist"[T]his will zoom off shelves." -Bulletin of the Center for Children's BooksPraise for The Watermelon Seed:Winner of the 2014 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award"Pizzoli legitimizes childish anxieties but also slyly exaggerates each worry to highlight the humor." -New York Times* "It's an expert debut..." -Publishers Weekly, starred review * "Children will love this hilarious book...The story has broad appeal, making it a great first purchase." -School Library Journal, starred review"The illustrations, done in a graphic, flat-color style with simple linework, recall the cheerful stylings of Ed Emberley and Roger Hargreaves. While Pizzoli uses the computer to arrange his compositions, he takes extra care to hand print the pieces. Done in a three-color printing, the silk screen offers a toothiness to the page, giving fruit, animal and emotions more substance." -Kirkus Reviews"With a sharp graphic sensibility, vibrant design, and adept characterization, Pizzoli spins the simple premise into a sweet confection, ripe with broad humor."-Booklist Online

Perfectly Norman


Tom Percival - 2017
    That was until the day he grew a pair of wings!Norman is very surprised to have wings suddenly - and he has the most fun ever trying them out high in the sky. But then he has to go in for dinner. What will his parents think? What will everyone else think? Norman feels the safest plan is to cover his wings with a big coat.But hiding the thing that makes you different proves tricky and upsetting. Can Norman ever truly be himself?A poignant yet uplifting story about individuality, with stunning artwork in a striking minimal palette from the author/illustrator of Herman's Letter. Fans of Oliver Jeffers and Benj Davies will love it.

When a Dragon Moves In


Jodi Moore - 2011
    Right away, a dragon moves in. The boy decides to befriend his dragon and they spend time roaming the shore, flying a kite, braving the waves, defying bullies, and roasting marshmallows—all while Dad is busy sunbathing and Mom is engrossed in her book. Unfortunately, no one believes the boy when he tries to share the news of this magnificent creature. That’s when the mischief begins, and the dragon becomes a force to be reckoned with. While adults will recognize the naughty antics as a ploy for attention, children will dissolve into giggles as the dragon devours every last sandwich, blows bubbles in the lemonade, and leaves claw prints in the brownies. Maybe the dragon really is running amok on the beach, or maybe it’s a little boy’s imagination that is running wild.

I Am Not Going to Get up Today!


Dr. Seuss - 1987
    'The alarm can ring. The birds can peep....Today's the day I'm going to sleep,' says a lazy boy one morning, and despite a pail of icy water, television coverage, and the arrival of the Marines, he vows to stay in bed--and he does! The repetition of concepts and words will keep children turning the pages, as will the energetic drawings. A sure draw for early readers."--Booklist.

Yo Soy Muslim: A Father's Letter to His Daughter


Mark Gonzales - 2017
    A child of crescent moons, a builder of mosques, a descendant of brilliance, an ancestor in training. Written as a letter from a father to his daughter, Yo Soy Muslim is a celebration of social harmony and multicultural identities. The vivid and elegant verse, accompanied by magical and vibrant illustrations, highlights the diversity of the Muslim community as well as Indigenous identity. A literary journey of discovery and wonder, Yo Soy Muslim is sure to inspire adults and children alike.

Louise Loves Art


Kelly Light - 2014
    Louise loves art more than anything. It's her imagination on the outside. She is determined to create a masterpiece—her pièce de résistance!Louise also loves Art, her little brother. This is their story.Louise Loves Art is a celebration of the brilliant artist who resides in all of us.

I Got the School Spirit


Connie Schofield-Morrison - 2020
    

Bedtime for Sweet Creatures


Nikki Grimes - 2020
    a loving, effective lullaby."―Publishers Weekly, STARRED reviewIt's bedtime. But Mommy's little one is not sleepy.He growls like a bear, he questions like an owl, he tosses his mane like a lion. He hunts for water like a sly wolf, and hides like a snake.Mommy needs to wrangle her sweet creature in bed so that the whole family can sleep. From tigers to squirrels to snakes, the little boy dodges around his bedtime, until he is tired enough to finally sleep. His imaginative animal friends weave their way through the illustrations, eventually joining him in curling up for the night."The mother's loving understanding is demonstrated by how she works with her child's rich imagination, never slipping into admonishment. As such, children will engage with the pajama-clad tot's antics and be soothed by the book's positive tone. A fabulous interpretation of an everyday battle."―Booklist, STARRED review

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs


Judi Barrett - 1978
    But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Chewandswallow was plagued by damaging floods and storms of huge food. The town was a mess and the people feared for their lives. Something had to be done, and in a hurry.

Wild Berries


Julie Flett - 2013
    Meet ant, spider, and fox in a beautiful woodland landscape, the ancestral home of author and illustrator Julie Flett. This book is written in both English and Cree, in particular the n-dialect, also known as Swampy Cree from the Cumberland House area. Wild Berries is also available in the n-dialect Cree, from the Cross Lake, Norway House area, published by Simply Read Books.

Froggy's Baby Sister


Jonathan London - 2003
    So when his parents introduce him to Pollywogilina, his new baby sister, Froggy is disappointed. Not only is she a girl, but Polly is too little to do anything! Froggy isn't even allowed to take care of her until her tail falls off. Waiting is hard, but just when he's ready to give up, Polly's legs finally grow and big brother Froggy steps in to show her the ropes.

The I LOVE YOU Book


Todd Parr - 2009
    Most of all, I love you just the way you are. In this colorful picture book, Todd Parr explores the meaning of unconditional love in a heartfelt, playful way. Perfect for Valentine's Day and beyond, Parents and caregivers are sure to be inspired by Todd's vibrant illustrations and tender sentiments, and will enjoy sharing this very special book with the little ones they love.

The Quiet Place


Sarah Stewart - 2012
    Even better, Papa and her brother Chavo help her turn a big box into her own quiet place, where she keeps her books and toys and writes letters to Aunt Lupita. As she decorates and adds more and more on to her quiet place, it is here that Isabel feels the most at home in her new country while she learns to adjust to the changes in her life.Set in the 1950s and told through Isabel’s letters to her aunt, Sarah Stewart and Caldecott Medalist David Small have created a charming and unforgettable young heroine who will win the hearts of readers in this story of immigration and assimilation.The Quiet Place is a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of 2012